04 - On Croft Bridge 1819
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Description
‘Family Annals by Road and Rail, By Flood and Field’ By Samuel Tuke Richardson Of Darlington c.1890 ‘Shortly after the beginning of the century the then Duke of Cleveland for some reason unknown to the general public determined to break Backhouses’s Bank. All the notes of the Bank he could lay his hands on he carefully collected intending to send them to Darlington to be cashed. A few days beforehand my great grandfather received a hint of what was about to happen whereupon he slipt off post haste to London where he obtained all the gold he required when he immediately returned to the North with the same speed in which he had journeyed south & on the fourth day after his departure he once more entered the Town, a proceeding which quite throws into the shade Dick Turpin’s ride to York, the horses were unloosed from his chariot & he was drawn through the streets by an enthusiastic multitude whose hearty cheering testified at once to the indignation at the foul deed of the duke & the pride they felt at the success of their fellow townsman in foiling his vindictive attempts to break Backhouse. It is said in illustration of the indomitable spirit of my great grandfather that when his chaise was crossing over Croft Bridge one of the fore wheels came off but instead of stopping to have it put on he piled the gold up in the opposite corner & thus balanced he came into the town on three wheels. An eye witness of the above occasion is still living & lately told me that he remembered seeing the chaise arrive & that it was a green one. S.T. Richardson Nov. 1889 -
Owner
Beamish Museum -
Source
Beamish (Flickr) -
License
What does this mean? All Rights Reserved (Seek permission to reuse) -
Further information
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36275059@N02/9527777649/
Resource type: Image
Last modified: 9 years, 2 months ago
Viewed: 763 times
Picture Taken: Unknown -
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